Big Ten regular season awards

Tom Crean, Indiana: The Hoosiers wore the target from the start of the regular season to the finish. Even after losses and a drop from the No. 1 national ranking, Crean kept them focused on the task of completing a mission he had in mind when taking over a tattered program five years ago. He helped mold Victor Oladipo into a star alongside Cody Zeller on a team that offers balanced scoring.

Freshman of the year

Gary Harris, Michigan State: Spartans coach Tom Izzo loves upperclassmen, but this season it's a freshman stealing his heart. Harris is a major reason Michigan State put together a solid season after looking shaky early. The guard is second in scoring at 13.2 points per game while shooting 47 percent overall, including 42 percent on 3-pointers.

Surprise of the year

Wisconsin: When point guard Josh Gasser tore his left ACL two weeks before the season, it looked as if Wisconsin might miss the NCAA tournament for the first time in 15 years. "Survival," coach Bo Ryan said, "was the motivating factor." Traevon Jackson and Chicagoans Ben Brust and George Marshall stepped up their games, helping the Badgers survive and thrive.

Disappointment of the year

Northwestern: Before the season, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo predicted that Northwestern, despite losing 20-points-per-game scorer John Shurna, would be "much better." The JerShon Cobb suspension and season-ending injuries to Drew Crawford, Jared Swopshire and Sanjay Lumpkin robbed the Wildcats of depth and NU fans of much to cheer about.